Field training with farm advisors in Blackwater, County Kerry

Had a great two days field training with farm advisors in Blackwater, County Kerry. These 28 experienced advisors have now successfully completed our training. They will play a critical part in the successful roll out of our results-based Programme. Training centred around developing ecological skills amongst advisors to enable scoring of habitats and watercourses to determine a results-based payment for delivery of environmental quality. Thanks to the Blackwater Tavern for providing lunch and refreshments and thanks to Michael Harrington for allowing us to demonstrate our methods on his farm. Michael farms high nature value farmland (mix of blanket bog, heath, and grassland) bordering the Kerry Blackwater River, which supports one of the largest remaining freshwater pearl Mussel populations in Western Europe.